The Oxford Board of Aldermen voted to accept the recommendations of the Downtown Parking Advisory Commission and move forward with paid parking in the premium spots around the Square on Tuesday. (January 22, 2014, Page 1, 3)

Paid parking is on Tuesday night’s agenda for the Oxford Board of Aldermen where a public hearing will be held prior to the aldermen’s discussion and vote on hiring a parking director and getting bids for equipment.

The Downtown Parking Advisory Commission’s approval of going to a paid parking system in Oxford makes it one step closer to becoming a reality for downtown Square parking. The commission approved using meters for paid parking and taking the operations back in-house Tuesday during their regular meeting. (January 8, 2014, Page 3)

The Courthouse Square Preservation Commission reviewed proposed meters that could be seen around the Square if leaders chose to go with a paid parking system. Commissioners also reviewed new plans from Hotel Oxford and while admitted they were better, tabled the COA approval to allow time for a work session to work out details of the newest design. (January 7, 2014, Page 1)

Mayor Pat Patterson asked the Downtown Parking Advisory Commission to look over his proposal for paid parking in the about 300 premium spaces around the Square where the city of Oxford would take over management of downtown parking.

Editor Don Whitten writes about the guest-parking policy changes at Ole Miss and notes that sometimes it’s not the facts about the change, but rather the spin put on it, that bothers people more. (May 6, 2013, Page 4A)

While plans to beef up parking enforcement around the Square began around May, the new, stricter laws started officially in the last quarter of 2012 with a new parking management company taking over enforcement of the two-hour parking limit in premium spots around the Square. (December 31, 2012, Page 1, 12)

The Oxford Board of Aldermen approved new ordinances Tuesday that make parking enforcement stricter around the premium spots on the Square.
The board voted unanimously to accept the ordinance changes that change the two-hour parking limit from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. While the two-hour parking limit has only traditionally been enforced Monday through Friday, the ordinance already on the books allows for Saturday enforcement as well. Standard Parking, a Chicago-based company hired by the city this summer to manage the parking downtown, will be enforcing the two-hour limit on Saturdays. (September 19, 2012, Page 1)